Improvement in torpedo-boats



9 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. L. LAY. Torpedo-Boat.

Patented Jan. 14', 1879.

. 9 Sheets- -Sheet 2. J.' L. LAY; v Torpedo-Boat; No. 211,302. PatentedJan. 14, 1 879.

' 9 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. L. LAY. Torpedo-Boat.

Patented Jan. 14-, 1879.

fivvenior:

9 Sheets-Sheet 5 J. L. LAY. Torpedo-Boat.

NOLZILSOZ. Patented Jan. 14,1879.

9 Sheets--Sheet 6.

J. L. LAY. Torpedo-Boat.

Paten ted Jan.14,1879.

BSheets-Sheet 7.

J. L. LAY. Torpedo-Boat.

No 211,302. PatentedJan. 14,1879.

9 Sheets-Sheet. 8; J. L. LAY. Torpedo-Boat.

No. 211,302. Patented Jan 14,1879.

9 Sheets-Sheet 9.

J. L. LAY. Torpedo-Boat.

No. 211,302. P tented Jan. -14, 18 79,.

ATTORNEY.

Nrrnn Sterne A'raNT Prion.

JOHN L. LAY, OF BUFFALO, NEXV YORK.

lMPROVEMENT EN TORPED O=BOATS Specification forming part of LettersPatent No. Bil L392, dated January 14, 1879; application filed December18, 1878.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that 1, JOHN L. LAY, of En t'falo, in the county of Erie andState of New York, (temporarily residing at St. Petersburg, Russia,)have invented certain new and usefullmprovexnents in MovableTorpedo-Boats; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of my invention, which will enable othersskilled in the art to \which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters ofreference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My present invention relates to certain details in the construction oftorpedo-boats of the kind that are propelled by an engine or enginesinside the boat, and guided or controlled by the operator through themedium of an electric wire or cable paid out from the boat as the latteradvances.

The improvements which form the subjectmatter of this application willbe hereinafter pointed out and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like letters indicate like parts,Figure 1 is a sectional view of the stern of one of my boats, showingthe manner of paying out the cable through thchollow propeller-shaft,which also serves as an exhaust-pipe. Figs. 2 and are vertical sectionsof my adjustable telescopic sightrods. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of Fig.2 on line a; 0;. Figs i and 5 are similar sections of a modified form ofsame sight-rods. Fig. (i is across-section on line y y, Fig. 4. Figs.'7, '7, and 8 are modifications of same. Fig. 9 is a longitudinalsection of a retardingbrake for the cable, Fig. 10 being an end view ofsame. Fig. 11 is acrossscction of a compartment of thcboat containingthe gas-holder or flask and heating device, Fig. 12 being'a side view,partly in section, of same. Fig. 13

- is a modified form of heating device. Fig. 14 is a cross section ofsamcon line Fig. 15 is a longitudinal section of that portion of theboat containing the ballasting or raising and lowering apparatus. Fig.18 is a side view of a torpedo-boat, showing, in a general way, thelocation of some of the apparatus with relation to the boat. The figureis relatively muclrshortcr and of greater diameter than the boats areusually made by me. 'lhisis for convenience of illustration.

T 1e location of the several operative devices is'not arbitrary, butmaybe changed as circumstances warrant.

The various compartments of the boat are separated from each oth or bywater-tight bulkheads, both for convenience and strength.

A, Fig. 1, is the hull of the boat, only the rear portion being shown. Bis a cylinder-or chamber containing a coil of telegraphic cable, havingone or more wires, which convey the electric current from a battery onshore or at any other stat-ion to the operative devices of th e boat,which are controlled by electro-magnets. E is a pipe leading from thecable=compartment through the tubular propeller-shaft F. The pipe Cconveys the exhaust from the engine through the same pipe E. The effectof this exhaust to ease the movement of the cable D and facilitate itspaying out through the tube.

Motion is conveyed from the engine to the propellecshaft through thegears G H, or in other suitable manner.

One form of my telescopic arrangement for raising and lowering the sightor guide rods when it is desirable that the targets shallappear abovethe surface of the water is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in which a is acylinder, which is secured inthe boat in any suitable manner, and isprovided at a. a with ports or apertures for the entrance and exhaust ofgas.

The sight or indicating rod 1) is preferably provided with a disk, I),and has a piston, c, at its lower end, titted to slide up and down in,vthe tubular piston rod or sleeve d, whose lower up and down in the saidcylinder-d. e e are rods secured to the top and bottom of the cylindcrr1.,and which pass through the piston 11 to the upper end of the saidcylinder in an inclinod or spiral direction, in such a manner that whenthe said piston moves up or down it will be rotated or turned one-fourthof a revolution on its axis in the said cylinder.

When the said disk, rods, and sleeves are in the position shown in Fig.'2, the disk 12 stands 'lore and aft of the boat, and therefore presentspractically no surface to view in the line of the boats movement; butwhen the operator desires to bring the said disks into view,gas isadmitted from the flask or reservoir to the bottom of the cylinder a,and forces up end is provided with a piston, (1 which Wor s the piston dand sleeve (1, at the same time entering the bottom of said sleeve andraising the rod-b and disk I)", at the same time turning the latterathwart oracross the boat, thus affording the means for ascertaining itsposition or keeping it in view.

In the sleeve (1, and near the top of the same, isfia small openingcovered with a valve, f. *hen the sleeve is up this valve prevents theentrance of water into the same. is provided with a small spiral spring,and is attached to a valve-rod, f the valve-rod extending down slightlybeyond the piston' d. hen this piston d has nearly reached the end ofits downward movementthe end of the va'lverod strikes thecylinder-bottom, and thereby the valve is opened against the resistanceof the spiral spring. Gas then enters the sleeve (Z and forces down thepiston c and the'disk-rod and disk 7;,and brings the latter again'intothe position shown in Fig. 3. Then gas is again admitted to the lowerside "of the pistons',the pistons move, and,the valverod being released,the spiralspring brings the valvef again over the port or opening in thesleeve; ,and as the said sleeve passes into the water through thestuffing-box on the upper end of the cylinder a, the valve fbeiugclosed, no water can enter, and the upward movement of the pistonvlagain reverses the position of the-gnide-disk I), and presents its faceto the operator.

Instead'of using-the aforesaid inclined or spirally-arranged rods, I mayuse V grooves 0r projections in the cylinder for turning the pistons anddisks.

In Figs. 4, 5, and (3 l have shown a modification of the above-describedapparatus. In this modified form of the said apparatus the rod 7) anddisks 1) are turned or reversed in and by the up-an Il-down movements ofthe sleevepiston d, through the agency of inclined surfaces g g on theupper and lower sides of the piston, in combination with surfaces 71 inthe top and bottom of the cylinder, similarly inclined, but arrangedtransversely or crosswise to those on the piston. f

When the piston is in the position shown in Fig. 4, the disk (1 standsfore and aft of the boat, as above described; but by admitting to thespace below the pistomthe latter and the rod 1) are raised; and when theinclines g on the upper side of the piston come in contact with theupper edges of the inclines /L at the top of the cylinder (1,, theformer will slide upon the latter, and by so sliding will be caused toturn on the axis of the piston-rods until the points g are brought intotheeeuter It of the inclines I1, and the wedges of the one lit into thecavities of the other part, as shown in Fig. 5.

-13y this action of the inclined faces on each other the disk I) isturned for a quarter of a revolution, to bring it into ,view of the0perator, as above described; and by admitting gas to the upper endofthe cylinder the move- This valve ments are reversed, and the diskreturned to the position shown in Fig. 4. To keep the rod 12 fromturning loosely or independently in the aforesaid sleeve, and to insureits presenting the least practicable surface to view when raised, Iprefer to make the same with an oval transverse section, as shown inFigs. 2 and 6.

Another modification of this apparatus iS shown in Figs. 7 and S. I Fig.7 is a side elevation; Fig. 8, a vertical section; and Fig. 7" is atransverse section on the line z'z, Fig. 7 The rod 1' is fixed in thebottom of the cylinder a, and the piston d and sleeve 61 Workup and downover the'said fixed rod. The said sleeve is preferably made oval intransverse section, ,as shown in Fig. 7, for the purposes above stated.In this case the boat would be; started with the disks raised, as shown.The lower end of the disk-rod b then rests on a plate, i, on the upperend of the fixed rod i. in the cylinder a. Gas being admitted to theupper end of the said cylinder, the pistondand sleeve (1 descend, whilethe disk I) and rod; 1) are held stationary in a vertical position nittil the top of the sleeve d has descended to the plate 2' on the saidfixed rod '1'. Then the disk-rod 7), having nothing to retain it'inposi" tion, drops overboard, leaving nothing above the surface of thewater for an enemy to see. If at any. subsequent time the operatorshould require to ascertain the position of the boat, he can raise thesleeve (1 above the surface.

I do not in this application claim, broadly,'

an adjustable or elevating sight-rod on a torpedo-boat, suchbeing shownand claimed in an application for patent heretofore filed by. me. Inthis application Idesire to limit myselfto the forms of sight-rodsshown, or theirmechanical equivalents. V The next part of my inventionrelates to an improved automatic check or brake apparatus which isdesigned to be used in connection. with my torpedo-boats.

The object of this part of the said invention to provide an effectualautomatic eheck to the paying out of the cable when the torpedoboat isat rest, the tendency so to pay out being caused bv currents at the spotwhere the boat may be lying, or arising from other causes.

Fig. 9 is a vertical longitudinal section of the said apparatus,showing, also, part of the paying-out tube. Fig. 10 is an end View.

. E shows part of the paying-out tube through which the cable passes inleaving the torpedoboat. 3 is the apparatus, as shown in, attached to,and forming part of the said paying-out tube, thetwo ends of the tube atthe part where they are united to the said apparatus being provided withannular flanges,

which correspond with similar flanges provided on the said apparatus. Bymeans of these flanges this apparatus is securely fastcued to the tube,its base forming a section thereof.

other suit-able material, which is attached between jaws tothe lower endof the rod d; isa tube leading into the cylinder a above the diaphragmci which tube is connected at it's'other end with the gas-supply pipe insuch "a manner that, when the engine is 'working there will be aconstant pressure of gas upon the under side of the piston'e the gasbeing but off when the engine is not at work. is a spiral spring actingagainst the piston (2 and 70 represents a portion of the cable withinthe paying-out tube.

The action of this part of the apparatus is as follows: hen the engineis working, and the torpedo-boat is consequently in motion, the gasflows through the tube and forces the piston c upward against the actionof the spiral spring 7' so that the india-rubber piece h is lifted andkept quite clear of the cable,

the latter thus being free to pay out without impediment.

The action of shutting off the supplyof gas from the engine also closesthe communication with the. tube '5 and the pressure of gas is therebyremoved from the pistonc, allowing the spiral springj to operate againstthe upper part of the said piston, whereby the latter is forceddownward,and with it the rod (1 and india-rubberpicce 7L5, which latterthus presses tightly upon the cable it, shown in Fign'lO, and holds itagainst any tendency to pay outwhile the boat is at rest.

I will next proceed to describe a means I have adopted to heat thecondensed orliquefied gas in the gas flask and pipes.

The liquefied gas is liable to freeze or be.

I I u 0 u colile sluggish.- bwmg to rapid expansion. 1L0

obviate this dllilcultyd may make use oi) such devices as are shown 1nFigs. 11 and ,n 'n "n are reservoirs containing the gas under pressure,and conhecl'ed together by pipes o o. A pipe, q, leads from thereservoirs t0 the coil of pipesp, which are in a tank, m, partly filledwith alcohol or similar combustible liuid. A'perforated pipe, '0, isplaced inside this tank, near the bottom, through which air is admittedto siipport combustion from -the flask of compressed air, as at r.

w, connects the alcohol wilh a bit ot gun-cotton or similar material at9 which can be ignited by an electric spark. sent by the oper-' atorthrough the wirest l.- A piece of wood, 1', makes a good support for theends of the wires. A reducing-valve, 8, permits the air to enter theperforated pipe 0 ata much less pressure than that under which it isstored in the res- A fuse,

ervoir r. The air is admitledto the perforated pipe by the opening of acock, s',wl1ich opening is effected in the following manner: A cylinder,1, contains a piston, which is forced in one direction by a springtoclose'the cock s by means of its connecting-rod. \Vhen gas from thegas-flask is admitted to pipe 21., (which can be done through suitableelectrical con-- nectious; or it may be admitted from the engine whenthe throttle-valve is opened) thepiston will be forced back by thepressure of gas from pipe '11-, they cook s will be opened, and air willpass into the alcohol-chamber through pipe 1''. A spark now sent overthe wires 1 will ignite the fuse, and through it the alcohol, which willburn freely as long as air is admitted, but, being in an air-tightcompartment, will'be'come nearly or quite extinguished as soon .as thegaspressure is removed from cylinder i, and the cock s closed by the'action of the spring-piston.

The coil 1) is supplied from the reservoirs through the pipe (1, ndthe'pipe 2) may lead to the engine.

m is a pipe, which may convey the-products of combustion to the exhaust.

Figs. 13 and it show a modification of this heater, in which the coil 1)is arranged outside a cylindrical gas flask, a, and between it and theshell of the boat A. [he flask can be readily secured in this positionby means of: angle-irons at the sides and end trunnions passing throughbulk-heads. The flame, in

this case, rises up around the flask and its coils, and the gas isfinally superheated in the coil 1' before it passes to the engine.

Another partof my invention relatesito means for causing the boat torise and sink .in the water independently of diving wings.

Fig. 15 shows a manner of carrying out this part of my invention.

ii is an air-tightchamber in the boat/A. ll. is a pipe com mnnicatingwith this chamber, and opening at the other end outside the boat.

31 is a cock'or valve, provided to close or open the pipe ll, the saidcock being controlled I by the rod 32, whichpasses into a cylinder, 33-,and has at its end a piston, 84:, working within the said cylinder.

A spiral spring,35, within the cylinder, when free to act, keeps thepiston pressed to the position shown, and the cook or valve is therebykept closed, so that there is no com mnnication through the pipe lil'between the air-tight chamber 13 and thc onter atmosphere.

3G is a slide-valve within a suitable asing, gas being supplied to thesaid valve ti- 'ough the tube 37 and a regulating-valvo,

The tube 239 communicates with one of the parts, 40, of the valve-seat,and leads into the cylinder at the end thereof, so that when the saidpart 1L0 is uncovered gas enters the cylinder, acts against the piston,and, forcing the rod forward, the cock is opened.

Another tube, ii, is provided, which leads 'from the port 42 to theupper part of the in terior of the chamber B, and is designed to conveygas into the said chamber. when it is desired to expel the watertherefrom, and cause the submerged boat to rise.

The slide-valve is operated by means of a rod, which is connected with abell-crank 1evcr attached to another lever, 43, which is inconnnunica!ion with a lever, 44, to which are attached the two armaturesi5 and sttipvhich are operated by the two electro-ma-gnets 47 and 45.

The bell-crank lever works on a pivot at it, and the lever 44- ispivoted in a post or standard.

.Apertures .r are provided in the shell of the boat, as: shown, the saidapertures serving to admit water into the chamber 1; when it is desiredto sink the boat. and as a means of exit for the same when it is desiredto raise the boat.

The operation isIas follows: The boat being launched with t he cockclosed and the various partsoi' the nu-chanism in the positionshown, asmall quant ity of water will enter the chamber l3 through the apertures.r, sutiicient to compress the air in the said chamber until the air socompressed and the pressure of the water counterbalance each other.

When it is desired to. sink the boat at current ot electricity is sentthrough the electromagnet 4 which causes the armature to descend,carrying with it: the end of the bar at tachment thereto. The other endof this bar onsequently rises, and the bell-crank lever is operated todraw back the valve-rod and valve so that the port is uncovered, uponwhich the gas passes up the tube 39 into the cylinder 33, and,overcoming the resistance of the spiral spring, forces the piston androd forward, thus opening the cock. The air being thus allowed to escapethrough the pipe H, the compartment l3 becomes filled with water, andthe boat sinks. When it is desired to cause the lattertorisc an electriccurrent is sent through lhe0therelcctro-magn'et, upon which the otherarmature will descend, and the slide-valve will be pushed forward,thereby uncovering the port s2, and conseqnmitly allowing the gas topass through the tube into the upper part of the chamber 3. 'lhepressureof t'husintroduced forces the water out of the chamber through theape'ratures 0c,and the boatimmcdiatelyriscs. The gas in the cylinder atthe same time escapes through the exhaust-port.

The noxtpartof myinvention relates to t he construction of a.doublescrew propelle as shown in Figs. 16 and 17. Fig. 17 is a transverse section onthr line 00' 03', Fig. 16.

A ispartof the hull of the torpedo-boat. I1 is the screw-shafh 2 3 arethe screws or propellers. 4 is a bush or sleeve, riveted orotherwisefirmly and solidly fixed on the str-rn 'ol the boat. The screw-shaftpasses throughthis sleeve, which is provided with a suitable water-tightpacking box andgland,and theinner propeller is fitted to turn freely onthis sleeve. On the outer end of this sleeve is formed a neck orprojection, on which is formed or fixed a stationary stud, 5. On thisstud 'is titted to turn freely a bevel-wheel, 6,which gears with thepropellers 2 and 3 by means of teeth formed around their bases or hubs.

The outer ropeller, 3, is keyed or otherwise fixed on the extremity ofthe shaft. Therefore it rotates with the said shaft. By its rotation andthrough tliemedium of the bevel-wheel or pinion it imparts rotation inthe opposite dircction to the propeller 2. I may use a guard orprotector of any suitable form for the said mechanism.

By this improved mechanism, it will be obvious from the abovedescription, I am enabled to drive the two propellers in oppositedirectionsby means of one shaft, which I may make hollow for the passageof the cable.

1 have not deemed it necessary in th s application to show theconnecting-wires and all the electro-magnets by which the variousdevices are operated,such being well known or within the province of the skilled mechanic. X either have I shown the location of all thedevices in the boat that bein a matter of 'ud nnentant ctmvenience.

It will be understood that when the use of gas is spoken of as a motivepower the gas is obtained from the gas flask or flasks in which thecarbonic-acid gas, ammoniacal gas, conr pressed air, or other gas topropel and operate the boat is stored.

The specifications will be clearly in tclligible it read in connectionwith other patents granted to me for improvements in torpedo-boats.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat I claim is- 1. The combination,with the tubular propeller-sh1-tft, of the exhaust-pipe from engine andthe pipe leading from cable-coil, so that the telegraphic cable and theexhaust from the engine both pass through the propeller-shaft.

2. In combination with a torpedo-boat,ase ctional or telescopicsight-rod, whereby thetarget is titted tothe extension of the telescopictubdby gas-pressure, substantially described.

3. A telescopic sight; or guide rod having a cyinder with ports for theadmission of gas at or near-the end s,a-piston propelled in bothdirections by gas-pressnre,and inclined rods or grooves, whereby thepistoirr'od is partiallyrotated in rising and falling,substantially asset forth.

4-. The combination of cylinder a, tubular piston-rodkland' its pistonand inclined rods and the tz irgetfrod b an 1 target, as set forth.

5. 'ihelcombination oi the eplinder a, piston-roddand'piston, and thetarget-rod b, with't-he valvc rodfaiid its valve, all sub-. stantiallyas shown.

6. The combination of theelevatinga nd depressing cylinder, the tubularpiston-rod, and a detachable sight-rod and target, constructedsubstantially as described, so i; at the target may be droppedoverboard, as t forth.

'7. A torpedo-boat providdj withau' auto- I mat-i0 brake apparatus,substantially'as described, whereby the cable is permitted to pay outt'reely when the engine is in motion, utis checked when the enginestops,as set forth.

h. The combination, with the paying-out. pipeof a torpedo-boat, of anautomatic brake, operated by gas from the engine in one direction and bya spring or similar pressure in the other direction, as shown anddescribed.

9. A fric ion-brake apparatus having'a rub ber pad, which is heldagainst the cable by a spring when the engine is at, rest, but: isremoved from the cable by tho pressure 0t gas against a piston when theengine is in motion, substantially as set forth.

it The combination of the eabletube, the cylinder, 5', constructed asdescribed, the spring-piston and piston-rod, having rubberor equivalentfriction-pad, and the gas-pipe all substantially as shown.

1]. In a torpedoboat, the eombinationot a tank or other device tocontain alcohol in proximity to the gas-containing reservoir, a pipe toadmit air to the same, and a receptacle to contain air under pressureand feed it slowlv to the combustion-chamber, as shown and described.

12. In a toifiedo-boat, the combination ol." an alcohol rtservoir, areceptacle for compressed air, and an electric device for lighting thealcohol or other combustible, as set forth.

I23. The combination ot' the combustionchamber audits coils, the(impressed-air reservoir, and a pipe havin a cock closed automatically,but opened by gas-pressure, so as to supply air to the combustion-chamber, substantially as shown.

t t. The combination otcombnstiomehanr ber III, coil '1), perforatedpipe 1', reducingvalve s, compressed-air reservoir and its pipe, and theCO\ 5, closed by spring-pressure and opened by gas-pressure, as set.forth.

II. The combination, in a torpedoboat', of a water-ballast compartment;or chamber, having apertures for the free admission of water,

and. an aireseape cock, operated automati: cally in one direction and bygas-pressure in the other direction, substantially as shown.

.1 The combination of wateeballast chamber, air-cock operatedautomatically in one- 18. The combination of water-ballast chamberl,airpipe ll, with its cock,eyliuder 33, having piston Sit and spring35, slide-valve 3U, operated by eleetronnagnets, as described,

and the gas-pipes C37, 39, and -tl, all substantially as shown.

l5). The combination ot',two serew-propel-' lers centered on the sameshaft, one being" rigidly and the other loosely attached, with anintermediate gear-wheel, suitably supported, whereby the propellers aredriven in Y opposite directions, substantially as set forth.- 20. Thecombination of propeller 3, rigidly attached to its shaft, propellerrevolving loosely on its shalt or sleeve 4, the stud 5, and.

the gear 6, meshing with both l'n'opellers, as shown and set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I at'tix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

JO] 1 X L. LAY.

\\' it ncsses:

unoI-to-E E. .lliuou'r, It. 'I). \Vmson.

